Just Trust Me
by YarningChick
Summary: Haru, an ordinary peasant girl, has somehow caught the personal attention and affections of the Lord of the Mountains. Why on earth should she trust a complete stranger with her future and heart?
1. The Baron's Request

Extra

Chapter One: The Baron's Request

King Valorous fought back a yawn, the careful training of his youth several centuries before serving him well. There was only one more courtier after this one, and the monarch was looking forward to what his old friend wanted from him.

"I'm afraid that I can't help with that problem, Count Hashil. Not even the master of Toto and Muta can make them behave for more than an hour, as he can well tell you."

The Baron von Gikkingen chuckled softly as he nodded his confirmation; his yellow-green eyes twinkling.

"If it will help, Majesty, I can start giving them assignments in completely different areas, or just place them far from his grace, since he finds them to be so distressing."

The count balked as the Fairy King laughed.

"Thank you, Baron. See, Count? You could have just asked the good lord himself."

The count laughed a little foolishly as he bowed and stepped aside, allowing the baron to come forward with his request.

The King looked at his old friend with pleasure. His greatest sorcerer had never before requested anything personal for his efforts for the Fairy Kingdom, despite the monarch's urging to name a gift of his own choosing.

He was thrilled that Baron had finally found something to reward him that he wanted but didn't already have.

"And what would the Baron von Gikkingen request of me this fine day?"

"I wish for permission to court a human, and marry her if she accepts me."

Many nobles gasped, some blinking their eyes in disbelief. The King stared at his favorite sorcerer.

"I'm sorry, Baron; I could have sworn that you just asked to court a human."

"I did. You heard correctly, Your Majesty."

One aristocrat came forward, her blue eyes dark and angry.

"I protest! Baron, you are mine! Mine!"

He looked at the woman coolly.

"No. I'm not. You and everyone else have been assuming for centuries that I am, merely because we share a common trait. I never had any intention of marrying you, and I doubt the inclination will ever come to me."

She gasped, tears freely running down her face. But the Baron wasn't falling for the crocodile tears. King Valorous regained his breath.

"Why on earth would you want to court a human?"

The half-cat's eyes softened, and a content smile came on his lips.

"Because I recently discovered that I am in love with one, and if I don't move soon, someone else will probably get her. She's an amazing girl."

The King struggled to maintain his calm composure.

"Have you ever spoken to this girl?"

"No, but she spoke to me, when we met a few years ago, and I've been keeping an eye on her. I doubt she remembers me."

"Please tell us what's so special about the human."

Baron chuckled.

"Oh, where to start… she has a good and caring heart; she's patient, loving, and hard-working. She's clever in her own way, and not too hard on the eyes. But what I found so intriguing was her temper."

The monarch raised one eyebrow.

"Why was it intriguing?" As far as he knew, a woman's temper was something to fear, not admire. Baron laughed.

"A young man tried to make her compromise her morals, and she tore him apart, verbally in any case. She could have done it physically, but the boy got the point she was making, and hasn't come near her since. She has a stubborn streak a mile long, but at least it's over the things that matter." He smiled a little foolishly at the memory, the white half-cat at his side growing angrier by the second.

"Let me guess; she's a princess or something?"

"No, she's a farm girl. Her family grows vegetables and herbs." Or at least it had. The feline woman's jaw dropped in astonishment, her eyes wide and disbelieving.

"A commoner?! You're choosing a commoner over me?!"

"Yes," Baron said flatly, facing his monarch once more. "Majesty, you have asked me many times for something you could give me, and Haru's the only thing I want that I can't have without your permission. I'm fully committed to try courting her, whether I'm a fairy or if I must become a human to do it."

Several gasped again, the idea of giving up one's power was incomprehensible even to the least of them, let alone the fact that the most powerful of them was willing to do it, if necessary. The King stared in amazement, impressed by the level of Baron's commitment.

The orange cat man wasn't one to take such action without several hours of careful consideration. And the King truly couldn't function without his favorite sorcerer.

"You are aware that you'd only get a few years with her? Humans age much faster than we do."

"And there will more than likely be problems with asking a farm girl to exchange her old life for this," the cat lord agreed, gesturing around the great hall with an elegant wave. "But if I don't take the chance, I'll never know what we could have had together. Even if she shoots me down for being a cat, at least I'll know, instead of stewing over it for the next few centuries."

The King thought carefully. It was the only thing his friend had ever asked for, but there were so many complications! And Louise was one enemy he didn't want to make.

"Why don't you show us this special girl?"

Baron bowed, and waved one hand slightly, the twin doors opposite of the King disappeared, and were replaced by a bird's view of a small cottage, the only movement being behind the modest home. The orange cat tightened in the picture until everyone could see the girl's face.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Haru took a short break to wipe at the dirt-ridden sweat on her forehead with one hand, the other holding a shovel. Her hands hurt terribly with blisters and rub burns, but she couldn't stop her labors now. Her long brown locks were tied back in a high ponytail by a thick strip of cloth, obviously being able to be used for other purposes in a pinch.

The slim brunette reached up in order to place her tool aside and lie down in the long pit she had made. She kept her back completely straight, and crossed her arms over her chest, to get a good feel. The soil was cool and soft, deep under the shadows. It took all of her self-control to keep herself from drifting off, and leaving this world's cares behind her.

It was almost perfect. She got up in order to reach the shovel, and made the necessary adjustments. She lied down again, pleased that it now fit perfectly. As an afterthought, she added a little space close to the feet, to give herself a place to be.

The young woman slammed her shovel aside, and managed to climb out of the steep hole. She gripped large handfuls of thick grass to help pull herself out of the pit. Once she was out, she stretched gratefully, and looked at the aged mound next to the grave.

"She'll be just a minute," Haru said softly, bowing to the mound before letting herself inside the shack that had always been her home. It was a simple dwelling, with the only notable thing being the large handfuls of herbs hanging upside down over her head, which was done in order to make them keep longer. The modest home had but one room, and one sleeping area in the corner of it.

Her mother, Naoko Yoshioka, was lying on the straw mat that made their bed. Her daughter lay down next to her, but she didn't move. Frankly, the brunette would have been shocked beyond words if her mother had reacted.

'_This will be the hard part.' _

She's been telling herself this ever since the sickness came to her community. The hard part was watching her friends get sick. Then she got sick, and her mother soon after. Haru had recovered, but her mother hadn't. She was partially grateful that her father hadn't been around to also get sick and see his wife die. It had been easier to bury him, since she had her mother for help and comfort back then. Now, she was all alone.

The slim girl made sure that her back was towards her mother as she reached over to touch the woman's skin. Not quite as cold as snow, but getting there. The brunette pulled her mother's body partially over her as she stood on her feet again.

Feeling a little disrespectful, she reached down for her mother's legs and leaned forward, so that the body was riding piggy back on her. Even if someone had offered to help her besides the soldiers, who were doing mass graves for the slain, she would have politely turned them down. It was a daughter's duty to ensure the safety of her mother's body. 

She staggered over to the grave she had just made, and carefully laid down so that her mother would roll off of her gently onto the cool grass next to the deep hole. The brunette slipped back into the hole, then turned to pull her mother's body into the hole as softly as she could manage. Her mother was the same height and build as the brown-eyed girl, so of course the grave was a perfect fit.

Once the redheaded woman was arranged in a comfortable manner, Haru leaned over her mother's face, touching her face one final time. She leaned down in order to kiss the cold forehead, hating how different it felt in death.

With streaming eyes that rearranged the dirt on her face, she climbed out of the hole and reached for the shovel again. She stopped, and looked at her blistered hands, nearly bleeding. She choked out a sob as she kneeled and started pushing the dirt over her mother's grave, the hard roots harming her hands anyway. Only when there was not enough dirt to push anymore did she reach for the shovel again, only taking one break in order to break open the bag of flower seeds tied to the rope around her waist and sprinkle the tiny offerings over the freshly turned earth, praying to give her mother the final gift of beauty as the seeds stuck to her moist bleeding hands.

She didn't know where the bag had shown up from, but didn't worry about it, or other things like it that happened. It had shown up outside her door last night, when her mother died. It warmed her heart that someone else cared about her pain, even if it was some stranger.

As she patted the last of the soil over her mother's grave, she suddenly got a familiar feeling; one that she had been too distracted to notice before. She sharply looked up and to her left, knowing better than to expect to see someone. Her mother used to call her paranoid, but Haru still knew that someone was watching her. For some reason, the vibes were different this time, like there was someone new with her usual stalker.

"I'm going through a crisis here. Don't you have anything better to do?" she asked, now softly glaring into the void space she was getting the vibes from; the sun setting behind her back. This was a very painful time in her life, and she wanted to be left alone for now. The vibes faltered for a second, like they had heard her. 

Despite how many times she told herself that no one cared enough about her life to magically spy on her, the feeling of being watched always returned, although thankfully never when she was relieving herself, dressing herself, or bathing herself, often getting the feeling to suddenly stop when she made to do one of those three things, like her mysterious stalker was a bashful child or something. That reminded her; she'll have to clean herself up tomorrow from the dirt she had covered herself with, since she was too tired to do it now.

The brunette smiled grimly as she turned back to her parents' graves, and bowed to them once more before carrying the shovel back inside the house, crashing on the straw mat her mother had been resting on.

It had been a long day indeed. And tomorrow would be longer.


	2. Haru's Future

Extra

Chapter Two: Haru's Future

When the farm girl had looked up, she seemed to be seeing past the portal and glaring at the people in the fairy hall. Even the King nearly jumped out of his seat when the girl seemed to say something directly to him, despite the fact that she shouldn't have even been aware that anyone was watching her.

The only one that seemed unsurprised was Baron, who laughed as he made the image fade.

"She's always been able to tell when I'm watching her. Granted, it took her a little longer this time, but she _was_ pretty busy, as you could plainly see, Your Majesty."

Louise was shuddering with horror and revulsion.

"The girl's a _barbarian_!"

Baron tightened his grip on the polished cane at his side.

"Because she's willing to give her mother final respects? At least she loved her mother enough to do that instead of letting the soldiers bury the woman in a mass grave like they wanted to."

The King slowly got over his shock, that the human had been able to sense them.

"She _is_ something special."

Louise sharply turned to her monarch, a new fear working its way into her heart.

"But she doesn't belong in our world! She isn't fit to be a servant in the Baron's household, let alone his bride!"

The King smiled, suddenly getting an idea on how to solve this peaceably.

"Why don't we let the _girl_ prove whether or not she's worthy?"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Haru reluctantly opened her eyes to the morning light, every fiber of her being still aching from the hard labor the day before. Catching a different feeling, she looked to her left to find that a small flower had bloomed next to her head. Her large eyes widened further, since that had never happened before, despite the strange things that sometimes happened around her home. It wasn't impossible though, since the inside of her shack had a dirt floor.

The flower was a modest pink, with smallish petals and a polished green stem. She smiled, and raised one hand to delicately touch the soft petals. She caught a look of her hand and grimaced.

She had never used the shovel for so long, and her hands were showing the damage, from the burns and blisters. She sat up and stretched before noticing some noise, shouting, outside her home.

'_Did the soldiers come back already? I just paid the death tax.'_ She softly got to her feet, and moved to the curtain that served as a door for the shack. She pulled the rough fabric aside enough to sneak a peek. Her eyes widened again, not quite sure what she was seeing.

In front of her home, a humungous white cat, with a spot of brown on one ear, was standing on his hind legs and had his paws held out in front of him like fists; shouting into the sky.

"Don't try that again, Birdbrain!"

A crow swooped down and pushed the fat cat over, the polished metal tube strapped to his back glistening in the morning sun.

"You already called me a birdbrain, you idiot!"

"Well, then go fry yourself, you big chicken!"

"You already called me a chicken; can't you think of a better insult than that?!"

Despite how they were going at each other, they didn't seem to actually want to hurt the other. Haru was amazed that they were actually talking, and retreated further back into her shack to consider what to do.

The two animals outside were obviously magical in origin; possible servants of the Lord of the Mountains? No one had ever seen the Lord, at least no one mortal, although he was a good fairy. Did that crow have a message or something to deliver?

It-he- must have gotten lost trying to reach the landlord's castle, and maybe asked the cat for directions, and it somehow turned into a fight.

Sighing, she decided to ignore them unless they addressed her. She reached for the spare tunic and water bucket before walked out of her home, strangely slipping by the crow and cat unnoticed.

She was still wearing the filth from the day before, and she was quite eager to get rid of it before she left.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

She had a small sanctuary that was neatly tucked away in the woods. Only her parents knew about it, and since Haru had never seen anyone else near it, they allowed her to go there for her water chores.

Pointedly pulling at the neck of her dress, the feeling of being watched vanished. She smiled while pulling off her dress and replacing it with the spare tunic, just in case. She doused her clothes into the cool river of the glistening pond, fed by a river traveling from the nearby mountain that the Lord lived in.

The brunette continually rubbed and scrubbed until the worn brown dress was soaking wet, but now clean. She wrung it out well before hanging it over a tree to start drying while she did the same with her handkerchief that she used for a hair restraint, and then washed herself.

The water was always cold, but it was refreshing, and helped ease her pain as the dried earth melted off her body to become a brown cloud in the water before settling on the bottom. She repeatedly dunked herself, running her hands through her dark hair to dislodge any and all filth, the cold water doing wonders for her sore hands.

This would be the last time that she would ever use this pond. She would be leaving her home today. She wasn't safe here, between the other surviving farmers and the landlord. The Yoshiokas had always been viewed as strange, and she wouldn't be too surprised if a mob came, accusing her of bringing a witch that brought the sickness, disregarding the fact that her own mother had died.

And the landlord… she suppressed a shudder, remembering his visit after his soldiers told him about the girl that would be burying her own mother. He had taken the cow for the death tax, although he made it clear that he didn't want the cow. It would only be a matter of time before he came back, with another tax that would need to be paid, knowing full well that she didn't have the means to pay it by any method but the one he wanted. She shuddered again, remembering his toothless grin, his too-bright eyes…

Haru would leave him the house for the tax, knowing that her parents would understand. She wasn't the prettiest girl in the area, but she wasn't exactly a dog either. Her honor was all she had left, and she made it plain to any that tried to threaten it that she wouldn't surrender her honor without a fight. Her father's blade had proven to be very useful, although she was no match for an armed man without her special technique.

Although she knew that they would eventually force her to do it, when the shock wore off. The cut on her neck had changed to a scab; a small reminder of what awaited her if she stayed here. Even now, she kept her father's blade tied to her waist, just in case. She wished there was a way that she could take her mother's baking stone with her, the one she and her mother had used for years to bake the family's special bread.

The stone itself wasn't extraordinary. It was gray, flat, and an oval shape. But when it was carefully placed on other stones over a fire, wonderful little mounds of bread could cook on the surface. They couldn't make the treat as often as Haru would have liked, since they couldn't afford to go to the mill, which always demanded a price to for its use. The grains had to be ground by hand; a process that could take several days, if one happened to get lucky and animals didn't get into it.

The family bread was special, because it never tasted the same twice. This was due to the fact that whatever herbs took her mother's fancy were pounded into the dough along with the hand-ground flour. Sometimes there were some terrible batches that had to be eaten anyway, despite the taste, but the memories of the better ones would keep them trying again.

Haru grinned at herself as she sat on a flat rock next to the pond, combing out her hair with her fingers as it dried, just like she always did. Whatever spirit that kept watch over her family's shack apparently had an appetite for the special bread, since sometimes a loaf would disappear, replaced by a gold coin. Her parents were grateful for the mysterious benefactor, who made keeping their home possible more than once. But even if by some miracle she could pound enough grain to make the bread and sell it before the landlord came again, she no longer felt like this place was home, without her mother or father.

The brunette dressed herself and tied her handkerchief back into her hair as she raided through a few bushes, trying to find some berries for a breakfast, with only modest success. She had no doubt whatsoever that she could find a job elsewhere. She was a hardworking girl that was easy to get along with, as long as idiots kept their mouths shut and hands to themselves. Then again, if they could do that, they wouldn't be called idiots.

She used the bucket she had brought to get some water, to give the seeds over her mother's grave some nourishment before she left. She hoped that the fighting pair had gone somewhere else.

They hadn't. As soon as she reentered the clearing her shack was in, the feeling of being watched returned, like it had been waiting for her. The vibes rippled like the water she had just been in, but she had no clue why. The crow still had an advantage over the cat, due to his wings, and appeared to be enjoying himself immensely.

"You'll have to do better than that, Piggy!"

The fat cat was still going strong, much to the girl's surprise. He was pouncing into the air, trying to get at the infuriating bird.

Haru's eyes suddenly sharpened, watching the cat do something terrible without quite realizing it. The brunette decided to inform him. She stormed over to the fat feline, using both arms to give appropriate power to the filled bucket in them, still filled with ice cold water that sloshed slightly.

Baron and his King watched with a horrified amusement as Haru swept the water from her bucket into a long arch, completely soaking Muta and the area around him. He howled from the cold, turning to hiss at her. But he stopped, staring at her.

The feline lord could understand his servant's confusion, as well as that of the disbelieving King's. He had shown Muta and Toto what Haru looked like while she was still sleeping and dirty, so that they would know her. The brunette did quite look like a different person when she was cleaned up, making her inner and outer beauty much easier to see. Her skin wasn't the pale color so admired by the fairy court, but a medium brown from working under the sun all day for most of her life.

But although she was hardly better than a serf, she stood tall as the cat stared at her, the crow nearly stopping in mid-flight before landing on the branch of a nearby tree, a light chuckle starting to issue from his throat.

"_Get off my mother's grave,_" she hissed, her eyes far angrier than Muta's had been. He looked down, and shuddered in horror. He had practically been dancing over a corpse.


	3. Baron's Servants

Extra

Chapter Three: Baron's Servants

The obese cat jumped off the little mound and glared reproachfully at the bird.

"Why didn't you say I was on the grave?"

"Oh, like now I'm suddenly in charge of telling you where you are?"

The cat hissed again and started trying to climb the tree, shouting more insults. Baron chuckled as Haru's anger melted into skepticism, that they had already started fighting. But after over a century of listening to them bicker; the lord no longer gave notice to it.

King Valorous burst out laughing as the lord watched Haru shake her head and mutter to herself, walking back inside her home. Baron followed her in on his special window, stunned that she had picked up the bag her mother usually used to gather wild herbs and start placing things inside it, like all of the herbs that had been drying, and her mother's special bowl and pounder. She rolled up her straw mat as she looked at the flower he had sent her, perhaps wondering whether or not to break the stem.

She settled for taking a last smell of the flower, to preserve it in her memory. She looked around the shack, a deep regret in her eyes.

That's when he understood. She was leaving home. Well, he couldn't blame her, with that corrupt landlord that would shortly be getting an unpleasant streak of bad luck that would last several years, courtesy of the Mountain Lord. The brunette sighed tiredly as she opened up the flap again, to see his two messengers going at each other with their claws. Shaking her head again, she walked past them in order to bow once more before her parents' graves, and start down a path.

When she was the size of a doll in the distance, Baron couldn't restrain himself from interfering. He made another bucket of ice water appear over the duo, and dumped it on both of their heads, deciding that he liked Haru's way of getting their attention. Valorous started laughing again.

Toto immediately fell to the ground, since his feathers were soaking, and Muta was howling pitifully.

"Stop it now," Baron hissed. "She's getting away. Go after her."

Both the cat and crow gasped, and looked toward the direction Haru was disappearing in. He quickly used his power to dry the two off so that they could make pursuit.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Just when Haru thought she was distant enough not to hear the shouts, a new one pierced her ears.

"Haru Yoshioka!"

She turned in mid-step, a bit surprised that the crow from before was now carrying the fat cat in his claws by the front paws, making a beeline toward her. She stopped; surprised that the crow knew her full name. How did the cat get dry so quickly?

The crow set the cat down with surprising care next to her, and landed on her shoulder. She yelped and took a few steps back, not being accustomed to having a large bird sit on her. He bowed from his perch.

"Please forgive the manners of me and my friend. I'm Toto, and the cat's Muta. We're servants of the Lord of the Mountains."

Muta grinned evilly at her.

"I bet you're sorry that you dumped cold water on me now."

She thought for a second.

"No, not really. Who you work for doesn't excuse using a grave as a dance floor."

Toto used one wing to cover his smirk, struggling not to take the bait. Haru looked at him.

"Did you need directions to the landlord's place or something?" Not waiting for an answer, she started lifting her other arm to point in the right direction. Muta started shaking one paw.

"Actually, we're here to talk to you, Chicky."

She raised an eyebrow at him for the nickname, but didn't protest against it.

"And what would the Lord of the Mountains wish from me?"

"Your hand in marriage," Muta said without thinking, and then quickly covered his mouth in horror. Haru's eyebrows shot up in disbelief as Toto tried to cover up the fat cat's mistake.

"Did you have to say it like that, Mushu Pork?"

Before Muta could try a comeback, Haru took a few more steps away and tried to shoo Toto off her arm.

There was no way in heck that they were speaking the truth. What could she have possibly have done in order to catch a fairy's eye, let alone one of the more powerful ones? There had to be a mistake.

"You guys are sick, you know that? You must be bored out of your skulls, to try a joke like that!"

"It's not a joke!" Toto protested, fighting to keep his place on the shoulder. "Muta wasn't supposed to say it like that though; we were supposed to ease you softly into the idea."

She kept trying to get the crow off her, feeling like she was being trapped.

"Besides," Haru continued, fighting off a blush. "I heard the Mountain Lord was engaged to The Lady of the Mists."

Muta scoffed.

"She wishes. But he's not interested in her in the slightest. It's you he's after."

Why did he have to make that sound like she was hunter's quarry? Toto noticed her renewed panic.

"Here!" He gestured to the tube on his back that she had noticed the first time she saw the crow. "He explains everything in this letter!"

Terror had gripped her heart, thinking about another man after her, let alone one that even _she_ couldn't refuse if he commanded her to come to him. Even if she could somehow get away, obedience to the Mountain Lord was engrained into her genetic makeup, just like it had been for everyone under his care for the countless centuries he's been in charge of them. And he could easily hunt her down if she ran.

Oh, man. He had to be several centuries older than her, at least! What on earth had she done to gain his personal interest?!

But, she reluctantly opened the tube to get at the piece of paper inside. After she got a good hold of it, the crow flew off her shoulder to sit on a nearby fallen tree trunk as she unfolded the letter.

She looked at the flowing calligraphy a minute before addressing the two again.

"I'm sorry to say this, but the letter's useless to me."

Muta fell off the tree trunk.

"You've got to be kidding! Baron spent hours writing and rewriting that thing!"

Haru shifted uncomfortably, assuming that 'Baron' was the Lord of the Mountains.

"That doesn't change the fact that I can't read it. Poor farm girls like me usually don't learn things like reading and writing. Such knowledge doesn't help get the chores done any faster. The squiggles look pretty though," she added, in an effort to soften the blow, but failing miserably.

Muta and Toto stared at her for a while. The fat cat slapped one paw to his face.

"Aw, cripes…I bet he was aware of that too! We'll have to read it to her!"

Toto sighed and gestured for her to come closer as he pulled a pair of spectacles from the dark feathers. He placed them on the base of his beak, so that the lenses covered his eyes.

"Stop complaining. You were saying just last week that you didn't think that Baron has a romantic side. Just don't listen, if it bothers you so much."

Haru held the letter to the crow, and followed his directions of rotating the paper so he could read it for her.

Just because she was terrified didn't mean that she didn't have the manners to hear the man out, and he _was_ her true master; whether she liked it or not.


	4. Haru's Decision

Extra

Chapter Four: Haru's Decision

_Dear Miss Haru,_

_I hope Toto and Muta get far enough in the proceedings to actually read this to you. You may have noticed by now, but it takes a firm hand to get them to behave while together._

_You are doubtlessly wondering why I'm sending an offer of marriage to you, having never personally spoken to you before now. Perhaps this would help explain; you haven't been paranoid for years, as your mother and friends have been insisting. Every time you knew you were being watched by someone you couldn't see, that was me. I wish I could tell you why I took such a personal interest in your daily doings, but I can't. I will shortly explain this._

_Up until yesterday, I wasn't quite sure why I took such pleasure in watching you go about your life (I hope you have noticed that I have been respecting the times when you needed privacy), but I realized why yesterday, when you stood up to that rogue of a landlord. I could see it in your eyes that you wouldn't have hesitated, if the landlord had insisted on having his way with you. I thought it was very classy of you, to refuse to give up the last treasure you had, even if your methods were unorthodox. _

_I know this may seem strange, but when I saw you cut yourself to prove your point, I took it a little hard._

"That's an understatement," Muta commented, apparently listening anyway. "He nearly went rabid! He wouldn't let us see what was getting underneath his fur, either."

"Fur?" Haru asked, raising an eyebrow at the huge feline. Toto waved one wing.

"He'll probably mention the fur soon enough."

Haru held the letter to him again, taking the break to also sit down on the log.

_Lord Yani, who isn't worthy of being called a lord, was very lucky that he decided to let you be, because I would have intervened if he had insisted, and he might not have survived the intervention. While he was leaving and making more threats, I realized that I was in love with you. _

_I'm trying hard not to make you scared of me, since you are probably intimidated enough without adding pressure._

_As soon as I realized my own feelings, and made sure the rogue would leave you alone long enough for me to take action, I went to my King to ask for permission to try courting you, since this kind of thing had never happened before, and he likes to know what's going on in his own Kingdom. I would be lying if I told you that no one had a problem with what I was planning, and more than a few tried to talk me out of it. The only reason I am able to send you this letter would be if I agreed to a few conditions._

_One is that I can't tell you how you gained my attention, or even give hints until you figure it out. Another is that you can never see my face, or we'd never be allowed to contact each other again. It would be dishonest to go farther into this unless you have an idea of what I look like. _

_My body is somewhere between that of a human and a cat. I have fingers and feet, but I also have a tail and whiskers. _

_I hope that won't put you off, but I would understand if it did. The last condition is that there must be someone watching when I'm with you during the time of courtship. I wouldn't dream of asking you to marry me while you still perceived me to be a stranger, and it would give us time to think things over._

_Of course, these conditions are only valid if you agree to them. We are both aware that all I really have to do is order you to come and you would have to obey. But, I truly can't think of a faster way to earn your personal scorn. Part of the reason I'm so attracted to you is __**because**__ you're not afraid to make decisions for yourself, and greatly resent anyone that tries to do that for you without good reason._

_I will not force you to come, or to accept my proposal. But I am truly hoping that you will give me a chance to love you. Like you said; all whom you love are dead, and there is nothing binding you to life. I hope to change that. You're a wonderful woman, Miss Haru; I've known that for years, and it would be a terrible waste if you did end up having to kill yourself in order to keep your integrity. _

_It's true; my lifespan may be significantly longer than yours, and you can't work magic like I can. But I would like nothing better than to spend the time I can with you. I pray that you will give my offer serious consideration._

_Love,_

_Baron Humbert von Gikkingen_

Haru blinked a few times, and looked at the squiggles again. How could such thin marks like those carry a man's heart?

"That's his real name?"

Toto slipped his spectacles back inside his feathers.

"Yeah, but he prefers 'Baron'."

Muta snorted.

"Fits him better than 'Humbert' anyway."

Haru rolled the paper up and faced the trail, leaning over so she could rest her head in one hand.

Of course. Who else would have the ability to watch over her like that for years but the true ruler of the land? At least he wanted her the honorable way. Oh, what she would give to know what had happened that made him look at her twice. He was probably behind the disappearing bread as well, since her parents always searched too well for any mortal to have escaped them.

She had to give Baron points for full disclosure. If anything, he had given her several reasons to say no, but was still asking her to say yes. When he could have just ordered her.

"Where'd you cut yourself?" Muta asked, curious. Haru traced the scab on her neck with one finger, getting both animals to stare at her.

"Baron's getting turned on by a suicidal girl?"

Haru shook her head.

"I'm only suicidal if that's the last option I have to protect my honor. It's all I have left, and I won't let anyone steal it from me."

Toto stared as the girl turned away, lost in thought. Then the crow smiled.

'_**No wonder Baron likes the girl's spirit.'**_

'_Okay, use your head, Haru. What he's suggesting is crazy, but he sounds completely rational. He's a half-cat, you'll never see his face, there's no telling how old he physically is, and… and… _

'_He's sincerely in love with you. Why else would he accept all those silly rules for someone like me? He's watching right now, I can feel it. What's going through his head?'_

"Does he purr?"

Both servants stared at her.

"Eh?" they asked. She laughed softly at them.

"He's a half-cat, right? Can he purr?"

They looked at each other.

"Why do you want to know, Chicky?"

She shrugged.

"I don't know. But does he?"

Toto thought carefully.

"I don't remember ever hearing him do it. I don't think he ever got happy enough to purr."

"I heard it once, before he made you." Muta told the crow. "It was at the Winter's Solstice Ball about two centuries ago, and Louise was hitting on him pretty hard. Then a servant accidentally dumped a platter-full of full wine goblets on her new dress. But since Baron's such a gentleman, he waited until we came home to start purring." He looked at Haru.

"He doesn't usually take pleasure from things like that, but she's been giving him grief for at least a millennium. She's a half-cat too, and she thinks that means that she and Baron are supposed to get together, but he can't stand her at all. She's really hoping that you'll turn him down."

Haru laughed, shaking her head. Louise must be the Mist Lady.

"Great. I haven't voiced either way, and I already have an enemy." It was probably just the beginning. She knew nobles sometimes thought of people in her rank as animals or worse, and there were certain to be fairies with the same attitude towards humans in general.

But, this Baron…

He sounded like such a sweetheart, and was taking a lot of unnecessary pains on her behalf. She looked at the path, wondering where it would lead her. Life was unpleasant, no matter where one was, her parents made sure she knew that. She fingered the paper in her hand, Baron's words reverberating through her head.

Half-cat or not, at least he was a gentleman, through and through. And he had to have a bucket load of patience to deal with these two on a regular basis. Behind her eyes, she could see the humble blossom she had woken up next to. A modest token of the Mountain Lord's affection?

She sighed and slipped the letter into her bag.

"Considering what he wrote in the letter, it would be bad manners to not personally tell him my decision. I _do_ get to meet him, right?"

The cat and crow grinned widely at her while they nodded, thinking the same thing for once.

'_She is so __**toast**__.'_


	5. Baron's Preparations

Extra

Chapter Five: Baron's Preparations

Valorous laughed and clapped Baron on the shoulder in a congratulatory manner, a hopeful smile on the lord's face.

"Even if she's coming to turn you down, at least she's giving you an opportunity to change her mind."

Baron managed a grin for his old friend, grateful that all of his preparations for Haru wouldn't go to waste.

But inside, he was cursing all of the rules that had been made, just to appease a fellow fairy he would never personally care for. All he could do now was place his trust in Haru's sweet spirit.

Which would purring do, he wondered, help or harm his case with her?

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Toto flew off the log and landed in the middle of the path, somehow growing in size. Haru gasped, almost falling off the log. Muta laughed at her.

"That isn't even one of his better tricks!"

Haru rubbed the side that she had bumped against the log as Toto gestured with his head for her to climb onto his back. She hesitantly approached him as he turned and leaned over for her.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked, looking at the crow skeptically.

"Just keep a firm grip on my feathers, and you'll be fine."

Taking a deep breath, the slim brunette readjusted the strap of her bag before climbing on, Muta jumping on just in front of her, and she wrapped one arm around him while grabbing the dark feathers as gently as she could. Toto spread out his impressive wingspan before taking into the sky.

Haru gasped, and leaned close to the crow's neck, keeping her eyes closed. But after a few seconds, she opened one to look down. The ground was now far away from her, and the mountain was fast approaching. The cold wind played with her dress and hair, whipping them about in a violent manner as they raced up the side of the mountain. Haru's eyes got bigger as the crow headed directly onto the cloud that always covered the top of the mountain, the glorious world beneath disappearing from her eyes.

It was cold, inside the cloud. The peasant girl began envying her companions, who were wearing robes of fur and feathers, while all she had was her thin dress, which was quickly collecting moisture from the air.

Suddenly, it was bright once more, making her blink her eyes a few times in order to see again. She stared in amazement, watching the clouds circle perfectly around the top of the mountain, which was surprisingly flat, like the lor-_Baron_, had taken the top of the mountain off with a saw or something. They circled far above a stone castle, but headed instead for a neat little house, nearer to the edge of the clouds. The brunette sighed with relief; the castle intimidating her.

She could see a gray figure walk out of the yellow house, his face strangely the same color as his suit. Haru could already recognize the feel of his gaze. She reached up to cover her eyes. The cat in her arms laughed.

"Baron's wearing a mask; don't worry, Chicky."

"Thanks, Muta." With a start, she realized that she had just revealed her decision.

Toto landed gently next to the gray figure, the landing helping the brunette to realize how much she was enjoying the ride as Muta hopped out of her arms. Haru stared as Baron reached up in order to help her off. She blushed as he touched her waist and set her down next to him, her own hands on his arms for balance.

He was about a head taller than her, and sharply dressed in a gray suit, complete with red vest and blue bow tie, and even had a matching top hat. Even if he hadn't warned her that he wasn't completely human, she could have told something was off by how his cloth mask was hanging off his head, the cat ears and muzzle giving the mask a definite shape. She wondered how he could see through the cloth.

"I assume you have come to a decision, Miss Haru?"

She nodded, suddenly realizing that she had been staring. She looked down at his dark shoes, blushing a bit.

"Since you asked so politely, it couldn't hurt to give it a shot."

Although his face was covered, she could have sworn that he was smiling warmly at her, the vibes similar to when she told off Machida and Lord Yani. He raised one of her hands to his lips to kiss it through the cloth. She could see that he had orange fur on his wrists, which were uncovered between his jacket and sturdy white gloves.

"I was rather hoping you would feel that way."

She suddenly remembered the state her hands were in; brown, scarred from work, and all those blisters from yesterday… Baron must have been able to read her mind, because he chuckled and released her. Neither had noticed that Toto had shrunk and flown to another part of the estate to pick another fight with Muta.

"You've put your hands to good use, Haru. They're nothing to be ashamed of."

She smiled shyly, remembering that he had seen for himself why they were like that.

"Thank you."

He waved one hand at the cute house.

"This will be your home. Mine is over there." He pointed over at the castle. "It would be improper for us to live under the same roof while unmarried, and I thought this house would be more to your liking."

She looked up at it, smiling softly. The comfy house already felt like home.

"It's beautiful, Baron." For a split second, she thought she was being too forward, but since he didn't make any protest, she let it go. He took her by one hand, and led her to the double doors.

"Please let me show you around."

She nearly stopped in her tracks.

"I thought you said someone was supposed to be with us at all times."

He chuckled again, a pleasant sound to her ears. That's when she noticed that she was being watched again, but by someone different. She hadn't realized how easily she had been able to pin down Baron's presence.

"Who's watching us?"

"A good friend of mine. Prince Lune of the Cat Kingdom owed me a favor after I stopped his father from blowing up the castle. He only managed to take down a tower."

She raised an eyebrow at him.

"That sounds like an interesting story."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Despite the modest size the house appeared to be from the outside, Haru's new home had many rooms, all of them better than the peasant girl thought to ever see in her life. About the only room he hadn't given her an extensive tour on was the bedroom, settling for a hasty explanation directed at the correct door as the girl could nearly feel the heat emanating from underneath his mask. Haru couldn't help but find that endearing, and it helped her relax.

By far, her favorite room was the kitchen, which had more appliances than she knew how to use. Baron laughed at her enthusiasm, opening every cupboard to see what was inside. She stopped at the spice and herb rack. The brunette took one jar down and opened it to smell the contents. She frowned.

"I don't recognize this one."

The half-cat walked up next to her and looked at the label.

"Lemon-pepper. It's quite good on chicken, but don't say that in front of Toto."

She laughed, looking at all the books on one shelf.

"Why are there books in here, too?"

"Those are cookbooks. They're filled with good recipes from everywhere around the world."

She looked at them, a slight sadness creeping into her heart.

"They're so thick."

He looked at her.

"Haru, would you like to learn how to read?"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Louise was still pacing around the main hall when the King returned, a smile on his face. Before she could approach him, he said the words she had been dreading.

"She went for it."

The white cat hissed as her eye contracted into slits. How did this happen? How could a human girl get without trying what the she-cat had been working at for centuries?

The girl would see his face. The Lady of the Mists would make certain of that.

"Now, now, Louise," the king said smoothly, warning her with one hand. "You know you can't interfere, or Baron will win the bet. Besides, she's a human; she'll be dead soon enough."

She didn't think so. She didn't think that anything short of 'now' would be swift enough.


	6. Haru's New Life

Extra

Chapter Six: Haru's New Life

Haru sat up and stretched happily, strangely on the floor of her bedroom instead of on the bed. But after a lifetime of sleeping on the ground, she figured that she had enough time to slowly work her way up to sleeping a full night on the bed, which she personally thought was a little too soft. She could now sleep four hours a night on the bed, although she still preferred the ground.

Standing up, she stretched again as she headed toward the bathroom. All the knobs and such had given her trouble at first, but she was growing more comfortable with their functions. As she soaked in the warm water in the tub, she had to come to terms with the fact that she was going soft. Even her hands were healing faster than she had expected them to, since the herb garden in the back never needed tending by her hands.

'_Today's a bread day.'_

She grinned, thinking about the first time Baron had caught her making the family bread in her new house. That batch had been awful, and Baron found a secondary use for the stuff, since he insisted that as long as it was good for something, she didn't have to eat the bad batches anymore. Then he gave her a cup of his special tea blend, which she really enjoyed.

But she didn't envy the fish he gave the crumbled loaves to, who strangely liked her bad batches. But she would try again today.

Haru couldn't actually watch Baron eat the things she was learning to make, sometimes getting away with slipping it underneath his mask or having to wait until her back was deliberately turned for a minute or two. She tried not to think about the mask too much, since she knew that would only lead to trouble, and tried imagining his face instead, and accepting that as the truth. She knew he was an orange cat, which gave her a good foundation to work with.

She was still a bit in denial that someone like him could find her so interesting. He was just so _brilliant!_ Although he had been helping her learn how to read, she could just as easily listen to him explain other things; his voice sweet on her ears.

Now in a simple but elegant navy cotton dress, she tied her hair back with a matching ribbon as she made her way down the stairs and towards the kitchen. She had progressed enough in reading to at least be able to guess what was what in the spice cabinet.

'_How long have I been here again? It feels like I arrived yesterday, but I know it's been longer than that.'_

She shrugged it off as she started pulling out the usual ingredients. To be honest, she didn't really have to cook anymore, or do the cleanup afterwards, since Baron had somehow ordered the house to give her whatever she wished for, but underneath her new fancy lifestyle, the brunette was still a peasant girl, and she thought that doing old tasks like cleaning would help keep her from becoming spoiled. Her parents were probably bursting with pride, up where they were in heaven.

A tapping sound came from one of her windows, and she could feel a familiar gaze. She looked over her shoulder to see two cats, as different as day and night. The dark one had a red eye and a blue eye. Haru grinned as she walked over to unlock the window. They crawled through in order to sit on the long counter.

"Let me guess; Prince Lune?"

The pearly gray cat bowed politely as she did the same.

"And this is my wife, Yuki."

She smiled and bowed for the white cat as well.

"To what do I owe this visit?"

Yuki looked a little bashful.

"Well, I've been sneaking peeks at you while Lune's been chaperoning, and I wanted to meet you. And I've been hearing about your bread for a while."

The human laughed, guessing that gave her permission to keep working while talking to them, so she rolled up her sleeves and put on an apron (something Baron started insisting on after the first time she cooked in her new home). Despite the fact that the couple happened to be royals, they didn't really mind talking on a personal level with her, and Haru was enjoying having someone new to talk to.

"So when they were just outside the window, I started wishing that they would be silent, since I was trying to focus on my reading skills. A few minutes later, Baron drops by and attempts to ask me without laughing how I managed to muzzle both Toto and Muta."

Both cats doubled over with laughter as she did the same, pounding the fresh dough between her hands. It was nearly ready to form into individual loaves.

As she skillfully worked the dough, Yuki suddenly looked nervous.

"Haru-chan? Why did you agree to letting Baron court you?"

She grinned at the cat while waiting for the oven to warm up.

"Lots of reasons. He treated me with kindness and respect long before I knew it was him watching over me, and he was willing to let me walk away when he could have just ordered me to come. He earned my respect long before trying to earn my love. And… " the human sighed. "I had no idea what was waiting for me at the end of the path. It could have been soldiers from the landlord, a steady job at an inn, anything. I weighed that against the solidity of a man's love for me, even if he's a fairy and I'm a human. After listening to his letter, I figured that the worse that could happen would be that one of us wouldn't like the other, and he'd let me go, leaving us both free to go about our own lives."

Yuki smiled at her, glad that her intentions were pure.

"Do you think that possibility's good?"

Haru laughed again.

"Not a chance. If I don't love Baron right now, I shortly will."

"I heard that."

The brunette blushed as the masked cat walked in to embrace her warmly. She blushed again while wrapping her arms around his chest, loving the tea smell that seemed to cling to him like cologne. He looked at the two cats.

"I assume all's well with your Kingdom?"

Lune nervously held one paw to the back of his neck.

"Father hasn't been storing explosives again, if that's what you mean."

Haru giggled as she extracted herself from Baron in order to put the dough loaves into the hot oven, which was far more pleasant to work with than a fire pit. Baron shook his head at her.

"It may seem funny, Haru, but it isn't. Not when you're up close to it."

She smiled guiltily while taking off the apron, hanging it from a nail before sitting at the table next to him.

"I know. I'm sorry."

Her boyfriend shook his head lovingly before kissing her hair through the mask.

"Um, Baron? I know it might seem strange, asking you this, but how long have I been here?"

He seemed to stare at her, taking a fraction too long to answer.

"Nearly three months. Why, has it seemed longer?"

She grinned while cuddling as Lune and Yuki started circling each other in order to nap.

"Nope." Then she did something she hadn't been brave enough to do earlier. She used one hand to gently pull his face closer, and kissed him through the mask, careful not to accidentally take it off. She got his chin at first, since she couldn't tell too well from the outside of the cloth, but Baron was more than willing to help her correct her mistake. Granted, the kiss couldn't go too far with the cloth in the way, but both participants deemed it a good start.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Louise glared at the orange cat as he strolled to the King's library, to help him with some problem. Baron had a ridiculously happy smile on his face, better than she had ever seen him do. What did this Haru have that she didn't?!

"Oh Baron," she called sweetly, getting some of the joy on his face to fade. "When are you going to introduce your pet to the court? Can she roll over yet?"

He glared at her, barely able to keep himself from growling.

"I don't have a pet. So I can't introduce one to the court. You have seen Toto and Muta on a frequent basis, and you'll never personally meet Haru, if I can help it." He stiffly tipped his hat at her before marching down the hall at a brisk pace.

Louise frowned. How was she supposed to tear the girl's psyche without anyone getting suspicious if she couldn't get close to that human scum? Baron had far too many protections laden on the girl for the fairy to get at the offensive human.

There had to be a way to do this, and make the girl want to see Baron's face.


	7. Baron's Purr

Extra

Chapter Seven: Baron's Purr

Haru looked at the small rolls inside the oven, deciding that they needed a few more minutes to cook. She grinned; thinking of what Baron might say when he tried one. This particular type of roll couldn't be found in any of the cookbooks he had given her, and she was really looking forward to what his reaction would be.

Her reading had improved immensely, and the brunette took great pleasure in the new worlds Baron had opened her eyes to. She couldn't believe that she had known so little until her boyfriend started teaching her. She may not ever be able to use magic by herself, but now she at least understood the theories on how to do it. She could almost feel her intelligence growing whenever he was around.

Apparently she had already made an impact on the fairy court, without ever seeing it. According to Baron, everyone except maybe the Fairy King was shocked beyond words that she had lasted this long without even trying to see her orange cat's face. He had somehow let slip her method of silencing Toto and Muta, so now the duo spent more time at home, usually soaking wet and miserable until Baron took pity on them. If he was gone on business, they'd come scratching at her door, and if they were polite about asking, she'd patiently towel both of them off, attempting to smother her giggles. Despite the fact that she was the reason for their new miseries, and their rocky start, they had actually grown pretty fond of each other.

And let's face it; Muta's bound to want to stay on the good side of a cook.

Satisfied that the rolls were done cooking, she carefully placed them on the counter on top of some potholders, to give them time to cool off. Grinning, she took off her apron and rolled her sleeves down in order to visit another room in her house.

Cooking and reading weren't the only things she was getting better at.

She opened up one room in order to pull the drapes aside, drenching the space in light. She turned to an object in the corner, covered by a large white sheet. Heaving a small sigh, she carefully took the covering off to reveal a half-painted canvas. She wrapped an old, but clean, spotted robe around her to protect her clothes from the paint.

After Baron had shown her how to mix the paints and apply it to the canvas, her hands now were often stained different colors from the pigments in the paint. But she didn't mind much. The first good painting she had done was hanging in the other corner; a strange bird, made of water, trying to break free from the sea while still connected to it. It was from a dream she kept having, which Baron interpreted as a desire to break free from what everyone thought she should be, but…

She sighed, mixing her paints again, trying to figure out the problem with the eyes. An orange cat was on the canvas; blank spaces where the eyes were supposed to be. The orange fur was like Baron's, she knew from his wrists and tail, and the cat was dressed like her boyfriend. The ears and face shape had been a bit more difficult, considering the cloth mask. But when compared to the eyes, the rest of Baron's head had been a piece of Muta's favorite angel food cake.

Not only was Baron forbidden to give her more details considering his appearance, everyone else was, too. She had absolutely no clue on if his eyes were dark, light, or mismatched like Lune's. Haru moved her paintbrush in a swirling motion just above the paint colors, trying to feel the right color. She did this for several minutes, as the colors slowly congealed and hardened.

Finally overcome with frustration, she slammed the colors down and grabbed the portrait. How foolish of her! To think she could make a portrait of Baron without ever seeing his face!

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The Lord of the Mountain opened up one room in Haru's house, Lune already warned that he was there. He was surprised to see a large random thing flying toward him, too fast for him to dodge.

Baron couldn't quite remember what happened after that. He thought he might have heard Haru scream, but that could have been his own mind. His head hurt terribly, and his whole body seemed to be floating around in a vast nothingness. He thought about the strangest things.

Despite all the reasons he and Haru shouldn't have been able to connect, they did anyway. Even without seeing his face, she had become as attracted to him as he was to her. He always knew she was brilliant, but… she was able to catch on to things that had taken him a little longer to grasp. He may have taught her the letters, but she had expanded on her own, branching out into as many areas as she could. The orange cat was so proud of her. The others of his kind had no idea what they were missing, judging her before they had a chance to meet her.

In the vast oblivion he was floating in, he felt his head being moved slightly, and his facial fur being disturbed. Gentle fingers explored his head, followed by something delightfully cool being pressed against his sore spot.

He relaxed; remembering the last time he felt a touch like this, several centuries before, when he was but a kitten. He had caught a bad cold, and this sweet touch was just like his mother's loving one as he was nursed back to health.

A deep sound issued from his throat, one that he couldn't have stopped if he wanted to. And he most certainly didn't want to stop. The headache was fast leaving him, and he was content with the soft pillow that had found its way under his head. He wouldn't have minded staying just like this for the rest of eternity.

But then his sharp ears picked up a familiar sound. Giggling. From Haru. He reluctantly opened his eyes, now feeling the cool air against his face, the mask gone. His spark of panic fizzled out when he saw Haru was blindfolded with a thick scarf, one hand to hold a damp cloth to his injury while she used the other to try to stifle her giggles. Baron suddenly saw that his head had been resting on her lap, a small bowl of water sitting next to his discarded mask and fallen top hat. He stopped purring.

"Haru, is something wrong?"

She tried to breathe and drown out the laughter but failed terribly.

"N-nothing's wrong, but, Baron! Your _purr_!"

A trace of fear entered his heart again.

"What?! What about my purr?!"

She laughed again, wrapping his arms around his neck.

"It's the most adorable thing I've ever heard!" She kissed his cheek awkwardly, since she couldn't see his face, but Baron got the idea. "On ordinary cats, it's soothing, but on you? It's way better."

The Mountain Lord sighed with relief, sitting up so that he could cup Haru's face with one hand. Without the mask in the way, he was able to kiss her with all the love he held for her, the brunette returning the affection in full, wrapping her arms around his neck again to pull him closer. He opened one eye to see a broken frame with some canvas stretched in the middle. His head still ached a bit, but he blessed the broken wood and cloth for the bump on his head, since it had given him the perfect opportunity that he needed; his renewed purr making the brunette giggle into his throat, and one hand feeling his velvety ear. Readjusting his hold on Haru's head, he pulled her away just enough to whisper against her soft lips.

"Will you marry me, Haru?"

The pale pink lines curved into a beautiful smile. If he could bounce back like that after she knocked him out, then there really would be no getting rid of him.

"How soon can you find a priest?" she asked softly, intentionally rubbing her lips against Baron's as she did so.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Louise was not in a good mood when she came to the fairy court, her mission a success, but exhausting. Even worse, some of the shadow servants were clearing off what looked like the aftermath of a huge party. She growled; put out that she hadn't been invited. She stormed up to the King, who was speaking with some minor nobles. His golden eyes trailed to her.

"Ah, how was the mission, Louise?"

She painted on a court smile while handing him the promised dragon scales. Clipped fresh by her. He peaked into the bag, pleased.

"Thank you, my lady. Too bad you missed the party."

She waved one hand.

"Duty comes first. What was the party for? I didn't hear about one before leaving, and I find it puzzling that one happened so randomly."

The other nobles quickly covered their mouths, in an effort to smother their laughter. The white cat cocked her head at them, wondering what was so funny. The King actually beamed.

"Baron married his human girl, and he was in a bit of a hurry to do it. But he and his bride didn't mind the lack of a real party on their behalf."

Her jaw dropped.

"No!"

The King waved one hand carefully.

"Come on, Louise; you already agreed to the bet terms. It's too late to take back your word."

She started breathing harshly, and slammed her fist into one pillar.

"I only agreed because I didn't think the girl would get this far! Where is she?!"

One duke turned to a count, his voice low as the King tried to calm down the she-cat.

"Haru's way cooler than Louise is anyway."


	8. Haru's Devotion

Extra

Chapter Eight: Haru's Devotion

Baron sleepily opened one eye to look at the girl in his arms. Haru was cuddled close to his chest, a content smile on her lips. He squeezed his wife closer in the darkness, glad that cats could see without light, which would never enter this particular room.

It had been pure luck that Louise was gone the one day that Baron wanted her to be, so that Haru would be safe from her wrath. The traditional bride and groom dance had caused him a bit of concern, since humans weren't allowed to see the Fairy Court. Haru was still blindfolded, and didn't need to tell him that she hadn't ever danced a day in her life.

He chuckled softly; remembering how everyone had reacted when he had blindfolded himself to make Haru feel better. But it wasn't as daring as Haru thought; he had been inside that hall for so long, and had known the people inside it for so long, that he could easily dance around everything with his eyes closed without a single misstep or bumping into anything. Under his guidance, the new Baroness danced beautifully, just like he knew she would.

Haru truly had no idea how her sweet gentle ways had affected the other fairies, who had once been firmly on Louise's side of the argument. Baron wasn't all that surprised that they already liked his bride better than the she-cat; just for the fact that Haru didn't whine, and she treated everyone with respect, although she was blindfolded and didn't have the slightest clue what they were like or a single care about how they were now higher or lower than her in status.

His bride shifted in her sleep, sighing as her fingers unconsciously played with the soft fur on his chest. He purred again, kissing her hair. She truly was too good for him, but that wouldn't stop him from loving her with every fiber of his being.

And she was proving herself to be worthy, just like he knew she would. His heart swelled with love once more, softly kissing her lips.

Her dark eyes opened in the darkness, and softened in love. Being a human, she couldn't see in the darkness, which was why she wasn't still blindfolded.

"Hello, husband."

He kissed her again before answering.

"Hello, wife."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The new Baroness checked the temperature of the stew, Muta standing by just in case she needed a taste-tester. She carefully spooned up some of the broth in order to blow on it before giving it to the fat cat, who smacked his lips happily.

"Just a little more oregano and it'll be perfect!"

She grinned at him while adding the tiny green flakes as directed. Baron sent word that he should be back in time for dinner that night, and she wanted it to be extra special for him. Since it was mostly liquid, they'd probably have to put up the special sheet between their eating places; so he wouldn't have to try eating around his mask.

Her heart still got heavy sometimes, thinking about that last barrier that couldn't ever come down. She sighed, trying to forget about it.

The two months she had been living in Baron's castle as his wife were happy ones. Having grown used to her little house, the shock of his ancestral castle had been easier on her. She even had more people to talk to, now that the other fairies knew she was nice. About the only fairy truly forbidden from coming here was Louise, and from what Haru had gleaned about her, she should be grateful for the fact.

The brunette had no doubt that the she-cat would shred her between sharp claws if they ever met.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Toto spiraled through the opening of his master's mountain sanctuary, the dapper cat keeping a firm hold on his servant's feathers. Baron grinned; his mission of collecting phoenix feathers a complete success, despite the burn marks on his favorite suit. But he didn't mind much, as he made the usual mask drape over his face. No one at Fairy Court could deny that although the orange cat always performed his duties faithfully and quickly, his usual pace had increased ever since he took a human wife. The King was pleased, and the masked cat hoped that the sentence would be lessened or put away altogether, since Haru seemed to be doing everyone besides Louise such good.

Muta was waiting for them outside the castle, frantically gesturing for them to keep quiet. Baron cocked his head, since silence wasn't usually something his friend went for.

"Is something wrong, Muta?" he asked while getting off Toto.

"Haru doesn't want you to know about this, and I don't want her to know that I told you."

Baron nodded, giving his servant permission to speak. Muta kept whispering.

"Yesterday, a man came. He looked like you, mask and everything. He tried to greet your wife as you would, but Haru punched him hard on the mouth and told him to beat it. When he refused, she just wished him away. Even though she could tell he wasn't you and nothing happened, she doesn't want to worry you."

Baron's heart froze in fear. He had a good idea who would want his wife to mistake another for him. The Lord of the Mountains smiled grimly, and stroked the soft white fur.

"Thank you. I will look into this." He just couldn't bear it if something happened to his wife. He fully intended to spend several years with her.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Haru pulled the fresh bread out of the oven, the wonderful aroma incasing the entire wing of the castle. Without even tasting it, she knew that this would be a good batch.

A presence materialized behind her, and she could feel a familiar gaze as she set the bread down. Strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her close to a solid chest. Her husband's cloth mask brushed against her cheek as he sniffed the air.

"You've been up to your old tricks, I see."

She giggled and kissed his cheek through the mask.

"Did you have fun with the phoenix?"

He held out one arm for her inspection. Parts of his jacket had long dark streaks, like the fire bird had more fun with her husband than he did with it. She sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck, squeezing tightly.

"At least you're home. I've been missing you."

He wrapped his arms harder around her, and kissed her hair. He had been missing her too.


	9. Baron's Surprise

Extra

Chapter Nine: Baron's Surprise

Haru shuddered as sleep fled, pulling herself from her husband's strong arms in order to get to the bathroom in time. She knew that the entrance to the bathroom was just left of her side of the bed, and she had made the visit so often in the dark that it didn't trouble her anymore. Pulling on the light switch, she emptied her stomach into the toilet, grateful that she had beaten the urge this time, and that her husband had indoor plumbing. She had been so nauseated, the few times she hadn't been quick enough. The baroness could feel her husband's presence behind her, one hand on the doorframe.

"Haru, are you all right?"

She covered her eyes while still bent over the toilet, since his voice wasn't slightly muffled by the mask.

"Not right now, no." She could hear him sigh, and the air seemed to ripple slightly. His padded hand touched her bare shoulder.

"It's safe to look at me now. Why didn't you tell me you were sick?"

She took the drink of water her husband offered her before answering him, swishing it inside of her mouth before spitting it into the toilet and flushing it down to be rid of the terrible taste.

"I don't know; I forget that this happens until it repeats." She looked at him, and blinked. His bare chest was covered by cream colored fur. Haru had just thought that he was only orange. The cream color covered his chest, and trailed up the front part of his neck past the mask, as far as she could tell. (Don't worry, Reader; he's wearing pants.) His arms were orange, except for where the cream color faded near his armpits.

Something… something almost clicked in her mind. Was his fur color that important? He stepped forward and eased her onto the side of the tub.

"Please hold still. I'll try to find the problem." He raised one hand to cup her cheek, and Haru could feel his warm power encompassing her body. Feeling a little light-headed, she balanced herself on his arm, making him brace her with his other one as he searched for the problem.

Suddenly he broke off, and stood up straight.

"I don't believe it," he whispered, staring at her. She cocked her head at him, a habit of his that had rubbed off on her.

"Don't believe what? Is it bad?"

Baron began to shake his head, very slowly. Then he erupted like a volcano, and swept her off her feet so he could start dancing with her on the tiles of the extensive floor, laughing happily.

"I had no idea if it could happen or not, but it did!"

Haru pulled a face, and kissed him through the cloth in an effort to calm him down.

"Do I get to find out what it is, or are you going to leave me hanging?"

He kissed her back with full force, walking out of the bathroom and shutting the door so he could take off his mask and kiss her in the darkness.

"Haru; _you're carrying my child_!"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"She's pregnant?! Already?!" Louise shrieked as Baron nearly skipped away after informing his monarch, who started laughing as the news began to spread.

"It shouldn't be that surprising; humans are built to reproduce faster than we are, and Baron probably hasn't been shy around her."

The nobles began to huddle in circles.

"We absolutely must hold a baby shower for Haru!" an elder deer fairy proclaimed, getting several others to nod their heads in agreement.

"Yeah, and this party will be a real one, since we have time to work with."

Louise watched them being to plan with horror.

"What are you doing?! Don't you realize that the child will be a freak, neither fairy nor human?!"

They turned to glare at her.

"If the child grows to have Haru's sense of humor, then we will gladly welcome it. Please go away so we can do this in peace."

The she cat stared at her former friends, hurt beyond words.

"Just what does this human have that I don't?!" she whined. A snake fairy hissed at her.

"A kind and loving heart. Maybe if you had one, Baron wouldn't have found her s-so interes-sting."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Haru stretched lazily, grabbing the book she had let fall to the floor. For some reason, she had been taking a lot of naps recently, usually in the library. She didn't mind much, since her husband was doing the same thing, embracing her in his sleep like she was a favorite toy. She giggled softly, readjusting her husband's mask so that she couldn't see his chin, which was cream colored. Her mind threatened to break through some barrier, which was persistently withstanding her attempts to break through it.

She shrugged the thought off, certain that it would only lead to trouble. She knew someone wanted her to break through that barrier, but the human had every intention of disappointing Louise.

The brunette laughed softly, thinking about how she would have reacted if someone had tried to tell her a year ago where life would lead her. A year ago… that was when the sickness entered her area. Her heart trembled, thinking about her poor mother, who would never be able to hold her grandchild. She sighed again, lost in thought.

She hadn't expected the other fairies to be so open to the idea of a half-breed entering their ranks, let alone enough to organize a party for her. But the human appreciated their support, warmed by their love. And she was definitely grateful for all the little tips they dropped on how to raise a child with fairy blood, since she hardly had any experience with children, and she and her mother had been, for the most part, alienated by the rest of the village.

She had never dreamed that she could be so happy, being a fairy's wife. Every day that passed in her new life seemed to leave her feeling farther and farther from the peasant girl she once was, but still was at the same time. Even her body was adjusting to more than preparing to become a mother, if the random jitters that racked her body were of any indication. At least they didn't harm her.

Her husband shifted in his sleep, stealing a kiss from her as he woke up. Haru returned the gesture, but gasped softly and grabbed his hand. She placed it on her belly, where her dress was moving slightly. Baron reverently felt his child move around, wrapping his other arm around his wife. Somehow, they've been getting better at communicating without words, sharing a common hope.

'_Two more months…'_ they thought in unison.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Louise growled, tearing through her books, trying to find some small weakness to exploit in the human that had stolen the Mist Lady's destiny and allies. But, it appeared that the girl was just as noble, or even more so, than Baron had made her out to be. The golem she had made of the orange cat hadn't fooled the human, although it still sometimes fooled Louise, even if she wasn't about to admit it to anyone.

With tearing angry eyes, she reached over to the life-sized doll she had made of the orange cat; the same one that failed to fool the Mountain Lord's bride. She pulled off the mask to gaze at his face.

Now that she had taken the spark of life out of it, the doll's face didn't resemble Baron all that much. But it was enough to iron her resolve. There were only two months left to Baron's sentence, and his child would be due in one month. Louise shuddered with horror, realizing that if the child physically took after the Mountain Lord, his wife would be even less inclined to sneak a peak, already knowing what he looked like. The Mist Lady was running out of time, and out of options.

But what could she do? Even with outrageous cheating on her part, the human was showing a surprising amount of stubbornness about not seeing Baron's face. Even with the Mountain Lord's warning, the Mist Lady couldn't believe that she had withstood all the temptation that had been thrown at her. But she couldn't have told her husband about it, or he would have called her in on the King by now, and called the sentence off.

Louise hissed, deciding that it was time to use drastic measures. The girl wouldn't have a choice now; she _would _see her husband's face, whether she wanted to or not.


	10. Haru's Secret

Extra

Chapter Ten: Haru's Secret

Haru sighed happily as her husband drew the covers around them and wrapped her in his arms again. His furry lips brushed hers again, making her giggle. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and squeezed. But she had to do it carefully; the baby being due any time now.

She rested her head on the pillow, and did her best to ignore the stiff bumps underneath her head. At least there weren't two more, since she had spent last night cuddling on the sofa with her husband. She made a mental note to move the bump to its customary place underneath the-

A blinding flash of light illuminated the room. Haru cried out and put her hands to her face, not from fear of seeing her husband, but from the pain. She could feel Baron rip himself from her arms to sit up, a cry on his lips.

"Haru! Did you see?!"

She kept one hand over her eyes while grabbing the pillow with her other hand in order to cover her face.

"No. Thank heaven; my eyes were closed at just the right second." She could hear him sigh heavily with relief as the air seemed to ripple. Familiar with the feeling, she knew he was making the usual mask. But Haru kept the pillow to her face, her eyes still hurting from the light.

"It's all right to look at me now. That never should have hap-" he cut off, making her worry. She looked at him, but his gaze was closer to her lap. She looked down, and her heart froze in fear.

Her husband hesitantly reached down to pull up the slim sticks of wax and wood. He looked at them carefully (or so she assumed) before gazing at her.

"I know you haven't seen my face." The unspoken question hung in the air. She looked down guiltily. She got off the bed and pulled her side of the mattress up, to reveal a small hidden nook. Her husband looked over with surprise, stunned to see so many broken candles and matches in the hole.

"I didn't want to worry you, sweetheart, but I've been finding a candle and match underneath my pillow for months. I hide them in here until you leave for an assignment, and then toss them in a fire. Honey, I swear I haven't peeked once."

He stared at her a little longer, getting off the bed so he could hold her.

"Even if I couldn't take your word for it, I would already know if you had seen." He shook his head, amazed. "_Months_, Haru? And you never breathed a word?"

She nodded, kissing him through the mask.

"I won't deny that I'd like to see your face, but I'd rather be with you until I die. You're the best thing to ever happen to me, and I'm not going to give you up without a fight. I love you so much, Baron."

He started breathing unsteadily as he kissed her back, and she could see his mask slowly gain two wet spots, where his eyes probably were.

"Oh, Haru… you truly are a jewel." He kissed her once more before making a bag and gathering up the candles and matches. A flurry of white lights came, and he was dressed in his usual gray suit. He kissed his wife again, not getting enough of her soft lips.

"The King needs to know about this. Thank you so much, Haru."

She cocked her head at him.

"For not seeing your face?"

He shook his head lovingly at her while ridding the room of the lights, so she could sleep peacefully.

"For trusting me."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Is something wrong, my lady?"

Louise shook her head and painted a pretty smile on her lips for the inquiring servant.

"Nothing to worry about. I should be better shortly." She could hardly wait until the entire court realized how the girl had duped them all.

Just as she knew he would, Baron appeared shortly, and approached the King, strangely holding a bag over one shoulder. She fought her evil giggles; wondering if parts of his wife were inside. He was in a strangely good mood; all things considered. Valorous nodded his head as Baron bowed low.

"Is something wrong, Baron? You usually aren't here so late."

The Mountain Lord straightened, and gave him the bag with a huge grin. Curious, the fairy King looked inside. His confusion deepened as he looked at his favorite magician. Baron grinned.

"My wife has been finding these underneath her pillow for months."

Louise's heart froze over; since she hadn't sent a candle and match that night, since the lights should have taken care of the problem. Did the human leave them for some reason?

"Something else that's interesting is that the lights came on when I was with her in that special room you had made in my manor."

The King looked up sharply.

"But light can never enter that room."

"Well, it did. If my wife's eyes weren't closed at just the right second, I would have lost the bet." He pointedly glared at the white cat, as did all the others still in the court. The King was most displeased.

"Well; it doesn't take a genius to find out who's been behind both. But why didn't you tell me earlier, if she's been finding them for months?"

"I just found out myself; she's been keeping it from me so I wouldn't worry. And Muta mentioned someone that looked like me dropped by the house once, but Haru knew it wasn't me."

The King whistled in amazement.

"Even if she had seen your face, I think it's clear who has won the bet." He spoke three words sharply, making the wax and wood melt out of the bag and rush toward Louise. She cried out as the barrier began to rise from the floor to imprison her. Hazily through the barrier, she could see everyone glaring at her, knowing that the tracing spell had marked her as the troublemaker. The King spoke with the authority of his office.

"Even through lonely temptation, Baroness Haru von Gikkingen has proven herself not only worthy of being the Baron's wife, but to be more so than the Countess DeLerouc. I declare the sentence of one year to be invalid. Feel free to greet your wife as you should, Baron. She is irrevocably yours; now and for the rest of her lifetime."

The orange cat tipped his hat once in gratitude at the King, and again at the one who had tried so hard to ruin his marriage, but had only made it stronger. He grinned wickedly.

"I told you my Haru had a stubborn streak a mile long."


	11. Baron's Secret

Extra

Chapter Eleven: Baron's Secret

Haru shifted in her sleep, recognizing her husband's warm arms around her. Yes, the gaze was his. The strange man from the earlier days of her marriage had given himself away as soon as he looked at her. So used to Baron watching her, she could easily tell that it wasn't _his_ eyes looking at her.

Suddenly her body stiffened. Although her eyes were still shut, the brunette could tell that there was light in the bedroom, although less than what it had been the night before. And she was facing her husband. She covered her eyes with one hand. Baron's warm chuckle greeted her ears.

"It's safe to look at me, Haru." His voice wasn't muffled at all.

"But you're not wearing the mask."

"It's still safe."

She still didn't raise her hand, scared of losing her sweetheart. He sighed and squeezed her again.

"I'm afraid I have a confession of my own, love. I was forced to lie to you when I said you'd never be able to see my face."

Her heart seemed to beat slower.

"Why?"

He sighed again, and kissed her hair.

"Before the fairy court met you, many believed that you weren't worthy to be my wife. A few tried to talk me into keeping you as a mistress, if I was so bent on having you, but I wouldn't hear of it. I love you far too much to do such a thing to you. The King decided the best way to solve this would be to let you prove yourself worthy." He kissed her lips again.

"If I could woo you, then keep you as a wife for a year, without you ever seeing my face, I would be allowed to keep you. But you had to believe that you would never see my face."

Haru removed her hand, but had buried her face into his soft chest fur.

"But it hasn't been a year yet."

"No, but part of the agreement was that Louise couldn't interfere. I know about the stranger that came several months ago."

She shifted uncomfortably, although he didn't sound mad at her.

"The King's men found a golem shell that resembled me in her home. And the candles and matches had traces of her magic. So the sentence is over." He tilted his wife's chin up with one hand.

"_Please_, Haru; look at me."

She took a steadying breath, and trusted him. Her eyes opened slowly at first, and then widened as far as they could go. Her mouth fell open with astonishment.

She knew that amazing green…

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"_I'll hurry back, Papa!" a cheerful girl called back to her parent's house as she skipped toward the village. Her father hadn't been feeling well lately, and little Haru wasn't very good at caring for him yet. Her mother needed to stay by him, which left the twelve year old girl in charge of selling the family's extra loaf of special bread._

_It was a beautiful day, one that made her want to sing or dance. But when the village came in sight, she heard a strange sound. Straying off the path, she found Machida, a village bully that liked to pick on her. He was doing something strange with a lovely orange cat, who was hissing angrily._

"_Hey, stop!" she cried out. Machida looked over at her, as did the orange cat, both clearly confused. The boy growled at her menacingly._

"_Beat it, Haru; this is none of your concern."_

_Now, the young girl had always been better at defending others than herself. And the cat looked pretty lonely. The river was close to the boy, and Machida had looked like he was about to throw the cat in. She made a hasty decision she knew she'd regret later._

"_If you give me that cat, I'll give you this whole loaf of my mother's special bread." She held it out for his inspection. He looked at it, remembering the times his mother had bought the bread._

"_Is it a bad one?"_

"_If it was, I wouldn't be offering it." To prove her point, she broke off a small corner, and ate it, the blissful smile sealing the deal for the bully. He tossed the cat at her while grabbing the loaf to eat it all by himself; a rare treat indeed. The young lady wished a belly ache on the boy._

_Knowing how swiftly Machida's temper could return, she swept the cat into her arms and ran to the woods. To her special pond. Gasping slightly, she set the cat down on her favorite rock. The confused look on the orange cat was priceless, making her weakly laugh as she checked him over for wounds, finding none. She collapsed next to the rock._

"_At least you're safe, kitty. Machida's pretty mean to everyone, especially ones weaker than him. Mama says he takes after his daddy." She leaned her head back, to watch the clouds pass as her heart slowly sunk._

"_She's not going to be happy that I traded the loaf for you." She looked over into his eyes, warmed by the intense green. She smiled at him, knowing that look. "Even if we could afford to keep you, you look too independent to stay for long." She sighed again as the cat jumped off the rock to curl up in her lap. She scratched one ear sadly, making him purr._

"_Mama said it was really important that I sell the bread, but I couldn't just let Machida hurt you for no reason. She'll probably scold me for helping you instead of us."_

_The cat perked up, and jumped off her lap. He took ten steps away from her, but turned back to look at her. He took one more step, but stopped again, still looking at her. She looked right back at him._

"_Do you want me to follow you?"_

_He nodded, and waited for her to get to her feet before leading her to the opposite side of the pond, close to where the stream from the mountain fed it. The orange and cream cat managed to push over one rock as she came close to him. Something glittered on the exposed earth. The girl gasped in astonishment._

_A gold coin! She had only seen copper ones before, since her village was poor and usually went by a barter system. The tomcat delicately picked up the coin in his mouth, and held it to her. Her eyes widened again._

"_But what if it belongs to someone else? I don't want to be a thief!" _

_The cat dropped the coin, his glowing green eyes wide with astonishment. That hurt her a little. She may be a dirt-poor peasant girl, but she still understood the difference between right and wrong._

"_I won't take it, if it belongs to someone else," she said firmly, turning to leave. But the cat circled around her, the coin in his mouth again. He shook his head at her, and held the coin toward her. She looked at him, skeptical._

"_Are you sure it doesn't belong to someone else?"_

_The cat nodded his head firmly, and got on his hind legs, balancing himself on hers so it'd be easier for her to grab the coin. Satisfied that the coin was honest, she took it._

_But before the cat could get away, she sat down and wrapped her arms around the soft fur, kissing his forehead._

"_Thank you. I'll just tell Mama that a gentleman bought the loaf, since she probably won't believe this." She giggled, scratching his ears in gratitude. "And you certainly are a gentleman, anyway." _

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Haru blinked again, knowing those green eyes were the same. She slowly started giggling, and touched his face lovingly.

"That explains a lot!"

Baron relaxed; a warm smile on his face.

"You remember me?"

"Of course! You were my first miracle!" She smiled warmly, taking pleasure from seeing her husband's face as she kissed him. "You've _been_ my miracle. All these years."

He started purring, and held her closer.

"You have no idea how shocked I was; that you didn't want the money if it was dishonest, even though you clearly needed it. I couldn't restrain myself from checking in on you afterwards, and when you whipped out that dagger…" He held her closer, to ward off the memory. Haru looked at him quizzically.

"But if you were a fairy, why didn't you just take care of Machida yourself?"

He chuckled, kissing her again.

"I was about to, but you were a little faster than me. You found me just as that rude boy grabbed me. I was just doing a check-up round on my people, to be sure all was well." He ran his fingers through her hair. "Who would have guessed that I'd meet the love of my life by a rude little boy and a loaf of special bread?"

Haru's giggle was sharply cut off, her eyes getting wider.

"Um, honey?"

"Yes?"

"I think the baby's telling me it wants out."


	12. Haru's Wish

Extra

Chapter Twelve: Haru's Wish

To be honest, Louise wasn't invited to the christening of Baron's daughter. But after all of the pain the baby's mother had caused, the she-cat thought it was only fair that the girl be repaid.

It was tricky, of course. Guards were everywhere, and there were many fairies to slip through as a half-shadow. Climbing up to a balcony, she could spy a priest with the King; the Baron and Baroness von Gikkingen kneeling in front of them.

The human girl's eyes were bound, since it is forbidden for mortals to see the fairy court, and a cooing bundle was in her arms. Louise struggled to hold back her hisses.

'_That child should have been __**mine**__! It shouldn't be a half-breed.'_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"I christen thee… Alana Naoko von Gikkingen." The old priest announced, making the cream colored magic cover the tiny red kitten, who gurgled and hiccupped. At the hiccup, the kitten changed into a fine human baby girl. Haru smiled warmly, thinking about how much her daughter's hair was like her grandmother's. She just prayed that Alana would grow to have the same sweet nature. The human didn't mind having her eyes bound, realizing that the formality was nothing personal.

Her heart froze, feeling the unadulterated hatred of an unfamiliar gaze. Trying not to draw attention to herself, she reached over with one hand to find Baron's, who gripped her gently. She wasn't sure if her power of wishing could work here, but it was worth a try, certain that something bad was about to happen, as the priest withdrew and King Valorous started talking about his high hopes for the child.

'_I wish nothing could touch me or my family.'_ She made sure to put her will into the wish, barely having time to think it before something flew _through_ her and her child, but left them unmarked. Baron gasped, and hauled his wife to her feet and to the side as Alana began to cry. The King cut off, his tone now angry as the baroness tried to soothe her child.

"Louise! You've really crossed the line now! Come down here and apologize immediately!"

"No! The human filth doesn't belong here! It should be _me_ at Baron's side!"

Haru winced, and turned to her husband, who was desperately making sure that his family was unhurt.

"Is she usually that shrill?" She had meant for just Baron to hear the question, but fairies' ears are a bit sharper than humans. Everyone in the hall started laughing, that is, except Louise. She shrieked as she flew down in order to attack the girl. The Baron von Gikkingen stepped in front of his wife and child. He spoke plainly, loud enough for all to hear.

"Actually, I think she's in a good mood. She's usually much worse."

Haru giggled. No wonder the brunette had captivated him. Louise shrieked again as several guards leapt forward in order to overpower the white cat. She fought valiantly, but even she was no match for the combined might of trained fairy guards. King Valorous glared coolly at her, as she was forced to bend over in front of him by no less than five guards.

"First an oath-breaker, and now an assassin? I'm quite disappointed by your conduct, Countess. If Baron hadn't been so quick with that spell, I would have to try you for murder."

The orange cat looked up from comforting his daughter.

"What do you mean? I thought _you_ deflected it."

The King blinked.

"I didn't." He turned to the christening guests. "Will the one who saved the Baroness von Gikkingen please step forward?"

The fairies moved and swirled around like waves on water, trying to find the hero, but none came forward. With magic tracing, imposters were too easily found out. The half-cat turned to his wife, confused.

"Haru, how did that happen?"

She gave a shrug.

"I just did the same thing I do at home. I could tell someone meant trouble, so I wished for us to be untouchable. We're pretty lucky it worked." She could feel slightly familiar hands on her shoulders, guessing that it was the King.

"How long have you been able to do this?"

She tilted her head at him.

"I haven't been able to do it by myself; Baron ordered the manor to give me whatever I wish for, and it couldn't hurt to try wishing here."

"No. It couldn't." Valorous said softly, releasing her. "Baron? It would be inappropriate for me to test her."

She could almost feel her husband nod at the King before taking her by the shoulders. A light fuzzy feeling coated her body, making Alana giggle and hiccup again, changing her back into a kitten. Even blindfolded, Haru could tell which form her daughter was in.

But, when Baron's power coated her, she could feel something new in her chest; something that had been but a seed when he had found out she was pregnant. It felt like a glorious flaming flower in full bloom. He released her; staring.

"I don't believe it."

She laughed at him.

"Don't you think it's a bit soon to start thinking about another child?" She could feel Baron blushing terribly as the other fairies had a short laugh at his expense.

"It isn't that this time. Haru; you have power now. As much as I do."


	13. Baron's Love

Extra

Chapter Thirteen: Baron's Love

Her eyebrows rose from underneath her blindfold.

"Strange; I thought that natural law about equalizing powers within a marriage only applied to fairy to fairy marriages."

King Valorous made an incredulous sound.

"Of course, no one's ever bothered to test the limits on that before. This is incredible; you're a fairy now!"

The Baroness could feel silk-gloved hands removing the blindfold.

"That means this thing's going into retirement." The king pulled the soft blindfold away from her eyes, which opened to take in her new surroundings, despite the protests coming from Louise.

It was exquisite, of course; every polished stone a lifetime's work of a master jeweler. Each stone that made up the fairy court was actually a block of solid diamond, varying shades serving for different purposes. It was much fancier than anything she had ever seen, more than her personal tastes could handle. But such wonderful surroundings deserved some small compliment, as it was her first viewing.

"Not bad," she commented, grinning at her monarch, who returned the smile with ease.

"Remind me to see how far you can use your power after we deal with Louise. Oh, what can one do with you, Countess?"

Baron walked up, an evil smile on his lips as he embraced his wife and child.

"Since she despises humans so much, perhaps a hundred years of being one will change her tune."

Haru looked at him.

"Humans don't usually live that long, Baron. Would you have her stuck at one age, or live exactly like one?"

King Valorous snapped his fingers, grinning widely at the couple.

"I think the next few centuries will be interesting, with you two. Countess Louise DeLerouc, for your crimes, you will be sentenced to be reborn as a human, and live as one without memories of your fairy life. When you die a mortal death, you will return to your true form and face judgment, if you need further discipline."

Louise's face went even paler underneath her fur.

"No, not that!"

Haru raised one eyebrow, amused at her reaction.

"Don't worry; one grows used to being a human."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Toto and Muta had been strangely able to keep civil, possibly due to the invisible muzzles Haru had made for them before her daughter's christening. In either way, they were both with Baron as he held his daughter, and watched the love of his life wade into the Crystal Sea. All of the fairy court was with him, eager to see what Haru could do on her own, now that Louise had been sent off to start her punishment.

King Valorous had asked the Baroness von Gikkingen to do the most spectacular thing she could think of, in order to gauge her control and focus, and it appeared that she had something very specific in mind.

Haru turned and waved cheerfully at them once before diving into the sea. Baron fought his urge to interfere, trusting his love to know exactly what she was doing.

For several minutes, there was nothing. Then, the sea itself began to heave and convulse, a pillar of water rising from the sea, struggling to break free from its birthplace. With a shock, the orange cat remembered the painting Haru had done when he was still courting her.

With a last mighty heave, the pillar broke free, Haru now seeable on the pillar's back. As the water shot higher and higher into the air, it gained more definition. On both sides of the pillar, water shifted into an impressive wingspan, and a body began to take shape underneath the baroness.

Her husband stared in amazement. Haru was making a Creation! Well, she_ had _paid pretty close attention when he explained how he made Toto. But, it had taken him several centuries to figure out the process, so how come a two-hour explanation sufficed for her?! Only five fairies before him had ever been able to make a Creation, after several centuries of trying. That was partially why he became one of the better magicians in the fairy court.

He had to admit; he was feeling a little envious, that it had come so easily to her. Even with her new power, no one had a clue on whether she would have a human or fairy lifespan, but her husband supposed that only time would tell.

The King stared in shock as the pillar of water shifted into a glorious bird high above their heads, leading its new mistress through several aerial feats, including a spectacular dive and a few barrel rolls.

Eventually, the ride had to end, and the new Creation reluctantly flew down, landing delicately next to her mistress's husband and King. The monarch held his god-daughter so that Baron could help his wife off; an ecstatic smile on her face. Once she was securely on the ground, the albino crow shrunk enough to land on her mistress's arm, working her way up to the shoulder to rub her head affectionately against Haru's cheek.

"Snow," she whispered, stroking the soft feathers. "Your name is Snow."

The crow's pure blue eyes lit up with joy.

"I like it. Thank you for making me."

Toto hadn't stopped staring as soon as he realized what Haru was up to. The white crow was truly a vision, as she looked over her new body, finding it to be to her liking.

'_I __**knew**__ I liked that girl,' _the dark crow thought gleefully, as the light one snuck a shy glance at him.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Lots of love to; Watersoul the Head Star Walker, Ducklin, Lanari, EarthGurdian, kittydemon18, jackswoman, Drifting One, HyperMint, InkyManipulation, Thundercat, Youkai no Yume, and tashie1010 for the wonderful reviews. I'm glad that you liked this story, and I hope the ending pleased all of you.

More stories on the way!

Lots of love,

YarningChick


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